Filler and flat construction



Jan. 16, 1934. R. GUYER 1,943,667

FILLER AND FLAT CONSTRUCTION Filed Feb. 20, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. 16, 1934. R. GUYER FILLER AND FLAT CONSTRUCTION Filed Feb. '20. 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 16, 1934 PATENT OFFICE FILLER AND FLAT CONSTRUCTION Reynolds Guyer, St. Paul, Minn., assignor' to Waldorf Paper Products Company, St. Paul, Minn., a corporation of Minnesota Application February 20, 1933. Serial No. 657,639

8 Claims.

My invention relates to filler and fiat construe"- tion for egg cases and particularly to the type of filler construction utilizing a set of partitions extending in spaced parallel relation and another set of partitions extending in spaced parallel relation andintersecting said first named partitions to form egg cells therebetween.

An object of the invention resides in providing a construction by means of which the filler may be held from movement with respect to the surface of the egg fiat.

Another object of the invention resides in providing an egg flat comprising a body portion constructed with continuous parallel corrugations thereon extending, along the first named partitions of the egg case filler and up to the outer of the partitions of the second named partitions of the egg case filler and exposed on both sides of the body portion.

A still further object of the invention resides in providing means for holding the corrugations in proper form, said means being disposed at the ends of the corrugations and in utilizing such means for restraining the egg case filler from movement along the corrugations.

Another object of the invention resides in providing means extending across the corrugations at the ends thereof and providing facing shoulders for engagement with cooperating parts of the egg case filler to hold the latter from movement along the corrugations.

An object of the invention resides in constructing the first named partitions of the egg case filler with means forming abutments for engagement with the shoulders on the egg flat to hold the filler from movement.

A still further object of the invention resides in disposing the shoulders on the egg flat below the level of the surface of the crests of the corrugations and in constructing parts of the first named partitions to enter into the valleys between the crests and to engage said shoulders.

Another object of the invention resides in conr structing the first named partitions so that the same follow along the valleys of the corrugations and in further constructing the same with notches forming the abutments for engagement with the shoulders on the egg fiat.

A still further object of the invention resides in providing one or more members extending across the valleys of one or several of the corrugations at the two ends thereof for forming the facing shoulders with which the abutments of the egg case filler engage.

An object of the invention resides in providing strips extending along the ends of the corrugations and. having their inner edges arranged to face one another and so disposed as to provide the shoulders engaged by the abutments on th filler partitions.

A feature of the invention resides in crushing the body portion of the egg flat at the ends of the corrugations to bring the crushed portion thereof below the surface of the crests of the corrugations and in attaching ribbons thereto with the facing edges thereof disposed below the upper surface of the crests of the corrugations and in a posi tion extending across the valleys of the corrugations whereby said shoulders may be readily engaged by the abutments formed in the partitions of the egg case filler. 7

Other objects of the invention reside in the novel combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter illustrated and/or described.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary sectional elevational view of a portion of an egg case illustrating the application of one form of my invention thereto.

Fi 2 is an elevational sectional view similar to Fig. 1 and taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of one of the egg flats utilized with the construction shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and removed from the egg case.

Fig.4 is a perspective view of a portion of the egg case filler shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and illustrating the same in inverted position.

Fig. 5 is an end elevational view partly in section of the egg flat shown in Fig. 3 and taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a portion of an egg flat illustrating a modification of my invention.

Fig. '7 is a developed view of the blank from which the egg flat shown in Fig. 6 is constructed.

With filler and fiat construction for egg cases in which a corrugated flat is used having the corrugations co-extensive with the length of the flat it has heretofore been found difficult to prevent longitudinal movement of the filler along the corrugations of the flat. The present invention provides 7 a simple and effective construction whereby the means used for holding the ends of the corrugations in proper form may be utilized to deprive the filler from movement relative to the egg flat.

For the purpose of illustrating the application of my invention, I have shown in Figs. 1 and 2 a part of an egg crate or case which is indicated in its entirely at A. This egg case may be constructed in any suitable manner and is provided with walls 10 and 11 and upper and lower closures 12 secured thereto. A number of cleats 13v are attached to the wall 10 and stiffen and reinforce the same and provide means whereby the upper and lower closures may be securely attached to the egg case. Within the egg case is disposed a number of egg case fillers 14, 15 and 16 which may be constructed in the usual manner and which are separated by egg flats 1,7 and 18. As many such fillers as are needed may be employed, there being one such egg flat between each filler and the overlying filler. At the bottom of the case and between the lower closure 12 and the filler 16 is disposed a cushion pad 19. These various parts will now be described in detail.

All of the egg case fillers 14, 15 and 16 being identical in construction, only the filler 15 will be described in detail. This filler, as best shown in Fig. 4, consists of a number of longitudinal partitions, the inner partitions being designated by the reference numeral 21 and the outer partitions by the reference numeral 20. Said filler further includes transverse partitions of which the outer partitions are designated by the reference numeral 22 and the inner partitions by the reference numeral 23. These various partitions intersect one another and are secured together either through the ordinary joint or by a locked joint. Such construction being now in common use in egg case filler construction will not be described in this application. The various partitions of the filler are formed with ends 25 and 26 which project outwardly beyond the outer ofthe intersecting partitions and which extend up toward the walls 10 and 11 of the case. These ends are preferably constructed to fall short of the said walls and would hence permit of considerable movement relative to the egg flat which fits snugly within said walls. Also due to lack of rigidity of such ends the same are readily bent. By means of the present invention such movement is greatly reduced and the fillers held in proper position with respect to the egg flats, thereby preventing injury to the eggs through horizontal movement thereof.

Inasmuch as the egg flats 17 and 18 and the cushion pads 19 are identical in construction, only the egg flat 18 will be described in detail, which egg flat is shown detached from the egg case in Fig. 3. This egg flat is constructed from a sheet of paper stock 27 of a length somewhat greater than the length of the egg flat. This sheet is first corrugated by running the same through suitable corrugating rolls which takes up the extra stock of material which forms a number of corrugations in the sheet projecting from both sides thereof. The exact construction of the sheet is shown in Fig. 5 in which the corrugations extending from the upper side of the sheet are designated by the reference numeral 28. These corrugations. are

' separated by grooves or valleys 29 also disposed upon the upper side of the sheet.

In like manner, on the other side of the sheet and opposite the grooves 29 are formed corrugations 30 which are separated by grooves 32 directly opposite the corrigations 28. In the further construction of the egg flat the corrugated sheet is supported in such a manner that the corrugations are maintained in the desired form. This may be accomplished by running the corrugated sheets between two belts having intermeshing slats thereon constructed in the shape of the corrugations. When such a device is used the same is of a width less than the total width of the flat so that the ends of the corrugations are free from the supporting means. Where several egg flats are constructed across a single sheet of stock, the slats are discontinued at sections intermediate the ends thereof so that suitable portions of the corrugations conforming with the lateral edges of the flats to be constructed therefrom are unsupported at such localities. While the corrugated sheet is so supported, rolls are run over the ends 33 of the corrugations and the same flattened down into substantially a common plane as best shown in Figs. 3 and 5. When the parts are so disposed the portions of the sheet forming the corrugations 28 overlie other portions of the sheets forming the corrugations 30 as indicated at 34. It will be further noted that the folded portions between corrugations are of an aggregate length equal to the pitch of the corrugations. the corrugations are secured together, these portions of the sheet hold the corrugations in proper form and prevent the same from flattening out.

For fastening the folded parts of the body portion at the ends of the corrugations together, I employ a strip of paper in the form of tape or ribbon which I have indicated at 35 and which is glued to the uppermost portions of the crushed ends 33 of the body portion of the egg flat. From an inspection of Figs. 1 and 3 it will be noted that the crests of the corrugations diverge down to the flattened portions 33 of the corrugations along a sloping surface indicated at 36 in Fig. l. The ribbon 35 is of such a width that the same extends partly upwardly along these diverging surfaces of the corrugations as indicated at 3'7 forming facing shoulders 38 and 39 along the edges of the two strips which are disposed below the crests of the corrugations 28 and above the bottoms of the valleys or grooves 29. For the purpose of preventing the egg case filler 15 from moving along the egg flat 18 the partitions of said filler are constructed as follows: The lowermost edges of the transversely extending partitions 23 are formed with scallops 40 which are adapted to receive the corrugations 28 of the egg flat and to fit into the grooves or valleys 29 therebetween. Partitions 22 being the outer partitions of the transversely extending partitions of the egg case filler are constructed without scallops and of the full depth of the partitions 28 taken at the lowermost portions of the scallops thereof. The longitudinally extending partitions 20 and 21 are constructed without scallops at the lowermost edges thereof and of a depth equal to the depth of the partitions 23 at the lowermost partion of the scallops 40 thereof, the same as the partitions 22. The longitudinally extending partitions 20 and 21 of the egg case filler 15 are constructed adjacent the partitions 22 with notches 41 which extend into the same in such a manner as to form abutments 42 facing toward the ends of said partitions. When the'filler is inverted framits position shown in Fig. 4 and placed upon one of the egg flats such as the egg flat 18, the scallops 40' of the parti tions 23 fit into the valleys or grooves 29 of the corrugations and receive the corrugations 28 The lower edges 44 of partitions 22 rest upon the ribbons 35 as best shown in Fig. 1. The lower edges 45 of the partitions 20 and 21 follow along the bottoms of the valleys or grooves '29 as shown in Fig. 2. By means of the notches'41 a space is provided into which the upwardly inclined portion 37 of each of the ribbons 35 extends. The edges 38 and 39 of these ribbons engage the abut- When the ends of rugations.

, ways.

ments 42 formed by notches 41 and operate to lock the egg case filler from longitudinal movement along the corrugations of the egg fiat. By means of the scallops 40 and the abutments 42 and ribbons 35, the egg case filler is held from movement in both directions in the plane of the flat upon which the same rests. In this manner breakage of eggs is greatly reduced and a rigid and substantial construction results.

The shoulders for cooperation with the abutments of the partitions 20 and 2 1 of the egg case filler may be constructed in various different In Fig. 6, I have shown a form of the invention in which such shoulders are formed through means integral with the body structure of the egg flat and without the use of separate ribbons attached to the crushed ends of the cor- In this -form of the invention a blank such as shown in Fig. 7 is employed which is indicated in its entirety by the reference numeral 50. This blank is f armed with longitudinal slits 51 at the ends thereof connected by transversely extending slots 52 leading up to said slits. slits extend longitudinally of the corrugations 53 of the egg fiat, while the slots 52 extend transversely thereof and across the lowermost portions of said corrugations. By means of this construction, tongues 54 are provided adapted to extend laterally of the corrugations 53 when the egg fiat is constructed.

In the construction of the egg fiat from therugations 53. While the corrugated sheet is held in proper position, said tongues are pressed into contact with one another while the glue sets causing an integral end-construction to be formed egg case filler 15 isplaced upon the egg flatshown in Fig. 6, the scallops 40 extend into the r valleys 55 and receive the corrugations 53. The

edges 44 of the partitions 22 rest upon the planiform parts 58 of the ends 56 of the egg flat 60, the same as in the form of the invention shown in Fig. 1.' The edges 57 of the various tongues 54 are received within the notches 41 and engage the abutments 42 on'the partitions 20 and 21 and v serve the same functions as in the other form of the invention.

My invention is highly advantageous in that an extremely simple and efiective egg flat and filler construction is provided by means of which breakage of eggs is greatly reduced. Breakage of eggs through endwise movement of the caseor in a longitudinal direction with respect to the corrugations is hence practically eliminated.

Due to the shoulders and abutments formed on the cooperating egg fiat and filler, end shock is absorbed by the egg fiat thereby preventing the filler from sharply striking the walls of the case and breaking the eggs contained within the egg cells thereof. Both the egg flat and filler can be constructed of ordinary paper stock without The the necessity of complicated or expensive machinery. With my invention less material is utilized in the construction of egg flats than would be the case where the corrugations are unexposed on both sides of the fiat. In addition greater resiliency and shock absorbing characteristics' result, whereby breakage of eggs through vertical movement is greatly reduced.

By means of my invention the end construction for holding the corrugations in proper form is utilized to lock the filler from movement relative to the flat, thereby eliminating'the necesi sity of special locking devices or other means for the desired purpose. Due to the use of scallops on the transverse partitions of the egg case filler Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. 'In combination, an egg case filler having partitions extending in spaced parallel relation and other partitions extending in spaced parallel relation and intersecting said first named partitions to form egg cells therebetween, an egg fiat consisting of a body portion having parallel corrugations disposed along said first named par-' titions and extending up to the outer partitions of the last named partitions, means for securing the ends of said corrugations in place, said means forming facing shoulders and notches in said first named partitions forming abutments for engagement with said shoulders to hold the egg flat from movement along said corrugations.

{2. In combination, an egg case filler having partitions extending in spaced parallel relation and other partitions extending in spaced parallel relation and intersecting said first named parti-' tions to form egg cells therebetween, an egg fiat consisting of a body portion having parallel co rrugations disposed along said first named partitions and extending up to the outer partitions of the last named partitions, and ribbons secured. to said body portion at the ends of the corrugations for holding the corrugations in form, said ribbons having facing edges, and means forming abutments on said first named partitions for engagement with the edges of said ribbons to hold the filler from movement along the corrugations. V v

3. In combination, an egg case filler having partitions extending in spaced parallel relation and other partitions extending in spaced parallel relation and intersecting said first named par titions to form eg cells therebetween, an egg fiat consisting of a body portion having parallel corrugations disposed along said first named partitions and extending up to the outer partitions of the last named partitions, said corrugations being exposed on both sides of the egg flat and ribbons secured to the corrugations for holding the same in proper form, said ribbons having the facing edges thereof extending below the uppermost crests of the corrugations, said first named partitions having parts extending into the valleys between the crests of the corrugations and forming abutments for engagement with the edges of the ribbons.

4. In combination, an egg case filler having partitions extending in spaced parallel relation and other partitions extending in spaced parallel relation and intersecting said first named partitions to form egg cells therebetween, an egg flat consisting of a body portion having parallel corrugations disposed along said first named partitions and extending up to the outer partitions of the last named partitions, means at the ends or said corrugations forming facing shoulders, and means on said first named partitions for engagement with said shoulders to hold the filler from movement along said corrugations.

5. In combination, an egg case filler having partitions extending in spaced parallel relation and other partitions extending in spaced parallel relation and intersecting said first named partitions to form egg cells therebetween, an egg fiat consisting of a body portion having parallel corrugations disposed along said first named partitions and extending up to the outer partitions of the last named partitions, means at the ends of said corrugations forming facing shoulders,

and abutments integral with said first named par-v titions for engagement with said shoulders to hold the filler from movement along said corrugations.

6. In combination, an egg case filler having partitions extending in spaced parallel relation and other partitions extending in spaced parallel relation and intersecting said first named partitions to form egg cells therebetween, an egg fiat consisting of a body portion having parallel corrugations disposed along said first named partitions and extending up to the outer partitions of the last named partitions, said body portion being crushed to bring the end portions of the corrugations below the level of the crests of said corrugations, ribbons secured to the crushed portions of said corrugations and having facing edges disposed below the surface of the crests of the corrugations and extending across the valleys therebetween, said first named partitions having portions projecting into the valleys between the crests of the corrugations and forming abutments for engagement with the edges of said ribbons.

7. In combination, an egg case filler having partitions extending in spaced parallel relation and other partitions extending in spaced parallel relation and intersecting said first named partitions to form egg cells therebetween, an egg flat consisting of a body portion having parallel corrugations therein extending along said first named partitions and extending up to the outer partitions of the last named partitions, said body portion being crushed to bring the end portions of the corrugations below the level of the crests of said corrugations, ribbons secured to the crushed portions of said corrugations and having facing edges disposed below the surface of the crests of the corrugations and extending across the valleys therebetween, said first named partitions extending into the valleys between the crests of said corrugations and having notches therein near their ends forming abutments-for engagement with the edges of said ribbons to hold the filler from movement along said corrugations.

8. In combination, an egg case filler having partitions extending in spaced parallel relation and other partitions extending in spaced parallel relation and intersecting said first named partitions to form egg cells therebetween, anegg flat consisting of a body portion having continuous parallel corrugations disposed along said first named partitions and extending up to the outer partitionsof the last named partitions, end members extending transversely across the valley between two of said corrugations at the ends thereof and providing facing shoulders, and means on the partition overlying said valley'forming abutments for engagement with the shoulders of said members.

REYNOLDS GUYER. 

